Iraqi forces attack Camp Ashraf

Conferences

20 November 2012

But there is another reason that we have to be mindful of today is thinking about why it is so important to have delisted the MEK. Because there are still members of the MEK in Iraq between Ashraf and Liberty who have known what it means to live under the threat of constant harassment and murder and killing because you see when you have a label like a terrorist label it gives the pretext and licence of the Iraqi regime to be able to kill the people of Ashraf and Liberty with impunity because the world community will just say “well those were terrorists that they’ve killed”.

How can we blame them? Now that the label is over, it’s time for Iraq and the United Nations to finally recognize the people of Ashraf and Liberty as human beings. And I want to join my colleagues in pleading with the Secretary General of the United States to remove Martin Kobler as the Ambassador in charge of liberty and Ashraf.

Martin Kobler has been complicit in the harassment and persecution of terrorizing the people of Ashraf and Liberty, and he continues to this day. In fact, just yesterday there was over 30 communications between Martin Kobler and the person trying to resolve the settlement of the personal property of the people in Ashraf. Imagine a member of the United Nations getting in the middle of a business transaction between the people of Ashraf and a business agent who’s trying to resolve this settlement of their personal assets and only to be obstructed by the U.N commissioner in charge of the resettlement of the people of Ashraf.

Martin Kobler, what are you thinking? How could you be on the side of a resettling the people of Ashraf and Liberty and yet be hindering the opportunity to let these people move on with their lives and find safe places where they can reside around the world.

Martin Kobler you must step down as the U.N commissioner. I was honoured at a previous event to quote my late uncle to President Kennedy but to paraphrase President Kennedy when he spoke at the height of the cold war about the plague of the people in Berlin, and I will say once again, ‘man Irani hastam.’ I say that for the same reasons that my uncle uttered the words “Ich bin ein Berliner”. Because you see this is not just an Iranian issue. This is an issue for all free and loving people no matter where they live.

Because then the words of Doctor King “injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere”. So long as the people of Syria are still under the brutal dictatorship Assad, we are all Syrians today.

I will conclude by saying you have here from the United States and from around the world, people who represent all political parties. Just on this podium, you have Republicans, very hard-core Republicans, and you have hard-core Democrats. But, we are part of the same campaign believe it or not because we share the same political platform. It’s the same platform that unites us as Americans; it’s the same political platform that unites us with all our friends from around the world. It’s the platform of Maryam Rajavi and the MEK, and that is the platform of democracy: no war, separation of church and state, women’s rights, rule of law.

And so this is a political campaign that is stronger because of the fight for the delisting. And this is a political campaign that has all the necessary attributes to really bring change about in Iran. And so as all of our previous speakers have stated, this is the time for all of the world to now join a political campaign from the grassroots to see a change in Iran not through a military action but through a democratic action lead and facilitated by the MEK and PMOI.

My uncle, Robert Kennedy, at a time much like this when no one ever thought they would see the future of a free South Africa, said, “Each time a person stands up or acts to improve the life of others they send forth a tiny ripple of hope and coming from the million centres of energy those ripples could create a current that can knock down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance”.

That current today my friends, is getting stronger than ever before and it is going to be a growing strength and I predict it won’t be long before that current knocks down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance by the ruling Mullahs in Tehran and brings about a free Iran.